ANKARA, Nov. 16 (Reuters) – Turkish authorities have arrested a man considered a suspect of “great interest” in the July assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph said Monday evening.

The 53-year-old former businessman Moise, who took office in 2017, was shot dead at his private residence and his wife was injured in the attack. A group of Colombian mercenaries has emerged as the prime suspect although no one has been charged or convicted in connection with the case.

“I just had a telephone conversation with the Turkish minister, my friend Mevlut Cavusoglu, to thank Turkey for the arrest of Samir Handal, one of the people of great interest in the investigation into the assassination of the president” Joseph said on Twitter.

Turkish media reported on Tuesday that Handal, who was wanted with a red notice from Interpol, was arrested at Istanbul airport by authorities while on transit between the United States and Jordan.

Turkey’s Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer

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